resort
history

FIRST ESTABLISHED

The original Hidden Valley Cabins were established in 1982 to cater for timber cutters, tin miners and graziers in the area.

Hidden Valley Cabins has been owned and operated by Ian and Bonnie McLennan for the last 21 years. They bought the property in 1986 and knocked down the existing buildings and rebuilt the entire resort. The frame work and roof trusses are made from selectively logged local hard wood, the cladding on the outside from the buildings are railway sleeper off cuts which were commissioned to be burnt if not purchased by the McLennan’s. Substantial amount of revegetation took place to replace any native trees or plants lost in the construction.

THE OWNERS

There have been two sets of owners before the current owners Bonnie and Ian McLennan. Bonnie and Ian McLennan were themselves tin miners for eight years before they bought the in 1986 cabins.

The McLennan’s were extremely environmentally conscious and this saw the birth of their relationship with renewable energy.

It took two years to landscape, add the pool, build new cabins and rebuild the old ones. They also built a new shop, a restaurant and the honestead rooms.

UPGRADING THE RESORT

Hidden Valley is not on grid power and any infrastructure in the area has self-generation power. The McLennan’s over the next few years tried to develop ideas to decrease their generator use therefore saving on greenhouse gasses but still giving their guests an optimum experience. In 1986 they installed 12 volt battery lighting in the cabins for guests to have lights once the generator was turned off. A battery charger charged these batteries while the generator was running. In 1988 12 volt lighting was installed in the shop and entertainment area. This then progressed to their house in 1997 and they decided to develop a small 12 volt system that would power only a few small appliances such as lighting and television.

THE FINAL TOUCHES

Between 1988 and 1990 the owner/managers residence and BBQ area were built on the old house site. (Land and house was originally tin miners homestead). The business now relies mainly on tourism for its main trade. All structures were built from local timbers.

Over the next few years the system was developed further to what stands today which is, a 3000-watt inverter, 2 x 24 volt battery banks, with invertors for powering larger electrical appliances, 3 x 12 volt battery banks for lighting and 4 x 80 watt solar panels.  The generator at present runs for 5 hours per day and our renewable energy system runs for the rest, this system however only allow us to farm power and is not practical and not giving our guests an optimum experience.